Controversial. Bold. Legendary. These
are the words that come to mind when I think about the man they call Kanye West.
I’ve been a fan of Mr. West since his debut album The College Dropout was released. And the works that followed such
as Late Registration, Graduation, 808s & Heartbreak, My
Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Yeezus,
and The Life of Pablo – just to name some, have solidified him as one of the most memorable
artists of our time. Songs like All Falls
Down, Homecoming, and his verses
on Slow Jamz are my favorites. When
he first released 808s & Heartbreak,
it had to grow on me awhile, as it was different from his previous works, but
on tracks like Heartless, you can
hear the raw and passionate sound in his lyrics and voice. When My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
dropped along with a creative visual video, I was blown away. Regardless of
what the press says about him, his on and off again beef with Taylor Swift, or
those who aren’t fans, one thing for sure is that he’s a creative genius. I
admire his boldness, authenticity, and ability to create work that is out of
the box. Yeezus was another album
that had to grow on me as well, but the change in his work is understandable
(as he was settling down with his wife Kim Kardashian-West and starting a
family.) The Life of Pablo was
another great work, and I was once again impressed by his creativity and vision
with music videos for tracks like Famous
and Fade (which was massively dope –
Teyana Taylor is definitely inspiration for body goals.) But aside from music,
Kanye West also has a unique approach towards fashion. When I was a
teenager I remember seeing him don Louis Vuitton in the press, and now he has
an incredible fashion line of his own. That’s impressive. And who could forget
his memorable speech at the 2015 MTV VMAs when he shared that he was running
for president in 2020? And with the way things have been going in the world,
anything is possible. You never know what you’re going to get with this guy,
and I’m excited to see what he creates next. Check out All Falls Down from The College Dropout in the link below.
It’s some of Kanye’s best work… https://youtu.be/8kyWDhB_QeI
As you embark on your career, I want you to know some things and stay woke about what you’ll be up against. Please understand that no matter what, you have value, and you matter. Always remember that. As progressive as this world and different workplaces may seem, every workplace has a culture. You’ll be in different places where a lot of people who don’t look like you will be in the room. But know that you belong in those rooms too. Spend some time observing and studying those spaces and learn as much as you can. There will be people you work with who will make presumptions about your competence, education, and ability to fulfill your job duties. There will be more who will think less of you because of the color of your skin and try to disqualify you the moment you make an error, mistake, or ask questions about things you may not understand. This will all feel uncomfortable and you may get insecure, feel like you’re all by yourself, and think you don’t belong there, but ride it out...